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Thanks to The Wombat for the heads-up on this place. Bit of a different explore is Scalford Ammo Store/Lion Bricks. Difficult to know whether to post it as an industrial site or military place. Plumped for the former in the end. Not a lot of info on this place – and what is available was covered in Wombat’s excellent report last year. Here’s a summary.
The site lies just North of Scalford in Leicestershire, next to a bridge on the minerals rail line (a.k.a the iron-works line). Lion Brick-works opened in 1875. The nearby railway line provided links to the local quarries. One legacy of the brick works in Scalford itself is a house built by the owner, called ‘Lion House’. Brick production stopped in 1930 and the works closed. The site was later used during World War II as an ammo store by the MOD. Some sources state the site was used to store munitions between 1939-1945 while other sources say the MOD occupied the site between 1940 and 1955. The four reinforced concrete billet style structures and brick tower are clearly of military construction.
In 1961 the site was being used as a poultry farm. Two years later planning permission was granted for use of the site as a recreational caravan site and a toilet block constructed along with the improvement of vehicular access. However the caravan site was never fully completed and it became overgrown. In subsequent years various other planning applications have been made for this site. In 2012 Melton Council’s planning committee refused the application to allow a fishing lake, 10 luxury log cabins and an associated cafe/clubhouse on grounds the proposed development was ‘considered to represent unsustainable tourism in open countryside’. In August 2014 a planning inspector dismissed an appeal on this decision.
The site now is very overgrown but also quite fascinating. On the day I went round the weather was terrible – it was raining and the wind was howling through the trees giving the place a bit of an otherworldly feel. Anyhow – on with the pictures.
The first view of the site that you get from the road:
img7625 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The four huts nearest the road are clearly the MOD additions to the site:
img7682 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7649 by HughieDW, on Flickr
These buildings were used as a storage facility post MOD ownership:
img7640 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Much of the stock has been left in-situ to rot:
img7648 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7646 by HughieDW, on Flickr
…as nature reclaims the site:
img7680 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7679 by HughieDW, on Flickr
and the tins rust away:
img7635 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The tins in question? Dehydrated onions from Alexandria, Egypt.
img7642 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7683 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Three MOD buildings side by side:
img7653 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Moving deeper into the site you come to the toilet block constructed as part of the proposed caravan park in the early 1960s:
img7654 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And further on you come to what was probably part of the brick works:
img7658 by HughieDW, on Flickr
There are definitely the brick kilns:
img7655 by HughieDW, on Flickr
As for this building, the jury’s out:
img7660 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7670 by HughieDW, on Flickr
More buildings made from the sites own bricks maybe?
img7667 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And stacks of tiles:
img7675 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Thanks for looking!
The site lies just North of Scalford in Leicestershire, next to a bridge on the minerals rail line (a.k.a the iron-works line). Lion Brick-works opened in 1875. The nearby railway line provided links to the local quarries. One legacy of the brick works in Scalford itself is a house built by the owner, called ‘Lion House’. Brick production stopped in 1930 and the works closed. The site was later used during World War II as an ammo store by the MOD. Some sources state the site was used to store munitions between 1939-1945 while other sources say the MOD occupied the site between 1940 and 1955. The four reinforced concrete billet style structures and brick tower are clearly of military construction.
In 1961 the site was being used as a poultry farm. Two years later planning permission was granted for use of the site as a recreational caravan site and a toilet block constructed along with the improvement of vehicular access. However the caravan site was never fully completed and it became overgrown. In subsequent years various other planning applications have been made for this site. In 2012 Melton Council’s planning committee refused the application to allow a fishing lake, 10 luxury log cabins and an associated cafe/clubhouse on grounds the proposed development was ‘considered to represent unsustainable tourism in open countryside’. In August 2014 a planning inspector dismissed an appeal on this decision.
The site now is very overgrown but also quite fascinating. On the day I went round the weather was terrible – it was raining and the wind was howling through the trees giving the place a bit of an otherworldly feel. Anyhow – on with the pictures.
The first view of the site that you get from the road:
img7625 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe four huts nearest the road are clearly the MOD additions to the site:
img7682 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7649 by HughieDW, on FlickrThese buildings were used as a storage facility post MOD ownership:
img7640 by HughieDW, on FlickrMuch of the stock has been left in-situ to rot:
img7648 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7646 by HughieDW, on Flickr…as nature reclaims the site:
img7680 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7679 by HughieDW, on Flickrand the tins rust away:
img7635 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe tins in question? Dehydrated onions from Alexandria, Egypt.
img7642 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7683 by HughieDW, on FlickrThree MOD buildings side by side:
img7653 by HughieDW, on FlickrMoving deeper into the site you come to the toilet block constructed as part of the proposed caravan park in the early 1960s:
img7654 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd further on you come to what was probably part of the brick works:
img7658 by HughieDW, on FlickrThere are definitely the brick kilns:
img7655 by HughieDW, on FlickrAs for this building, the jury’s out:
img7660 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7670 by HughieDW, on FlickrMore buildings made from the sites own bricks maybe?
img7667 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd stacks of tiles:
img7675 by HughieDW, on FlickrThanks for looking!
